| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
Charmaine wakes up around 7:30 and decides to go wake Mandy up. As she walks into the kitchen, she finds Mandy already up and cooking.
Mandy’s wearing a baby blue jacket and matching sports pants with a light yellow t-shirt inside today. She also has on a hat, but it isn’t blue, not matching like yesterday. She’s wearing her hair down today.
“Wow!” Charmaine exclaimed. “Hey!”
Mandy turns her attention away from the stove. “Hey...” She turns back to watch the pan again.
“You were really tired last night. I didn't know you would wake up so early.”
“Me either. But I guess I had enough sleep anyway.”
Charmaine smiles. “Okay. I'll go brush my teeth and get ready for work.”
Mandy nods and starts to set the table.
Charmaine comes back in 15 minutes, dressed in a light blue shirt and white slacks. Mandy's waiting for her at the kitchen table. They eat in silence for a few minutes. Then someone knocks on the door. Charmaine puts her chopsticks and rice bowl down, getting up to open the door. She looks through the port hole before opening the door.
“You guys are early,” She said.
“Yes,” The first guy said, flashing on a smile. “We just want to get some free breakfast.”
“And he wants to see his girlfriend, Mandy,” The second guy added.
Charmaine shakes her heads and smiles at the same time. “Come on in.” She finally steps aside for them to go through before she closes and locks the door again.
“What are you guys doing here?” Mandy asked, seeing Kevin and Ray coming her way.
“He misses you,” Ray blurted out before Kevin could say anything.
“Whatever.”
“You guys want some?” Charmaine asked, having already returned to the table and is eating again. “Hurry before we have to leave for work.”
Kevin sits down next to Charmaine while Ray walks across the table to sit next to Mandy.
“So...I heard Kevin was misbehaving last night,” Ray said, turning slightly to Mandy with a smile. “I already torture him for you.”
Mandy looks over at Kevin. “I don't see any bruises.”
“It's not where you can see. Unless…” He pauses for effect. “…you want him to take off his shirt and show you.”
Mandy turns slightly pink. “Whatever. You're weird.” She goes back to eating after that.
“Stop harassing her, man,” Kevin interfered. “You're scaring her.”
“Ooooh....” Ray drawled out. “The defensive boyfriend.”
Kevin shoots him a murderous look while Mandy gets up to clear the table with Charmaine.
“I thought you two said we can eat. How come you clear the table so fast?”
“You're full of air already,” Mandy said. “You don't need to eat.”
“Touché!”
“Come on,” Kevin urged. “Knock it off.”
“Okay, man. Since you're so eager to defend her. Oh yea, should I tell them what you did last night? Like right after I helped you into the apartment?”
“You can say it.”
Mandy comes back to the table from putting dishes into the sink. She looks from Kevin to Ray, then shrugs. She walks out to the living to retrieve her hand bag. “We have to go to work, you know. So can you like leave?”
“That reminds me why we were here in the first place,” Ray said.
“What?”
“We want to ask if you want to ride with us to work. I heard you two don't have a car yet.”
“Charm has one but it's still in the shop. Besides, we can walk. Since it's near here.”
“Walk? Whoa! Are you kidding?”
“It keeps you healthy, you know.”
Charmaine comes back from her room with her hand bag and some files in hand. She looks from one to the other, seeing a bit of hostility between them. “What's going on here?”
“Mandy won't let us take you girls to work,” Ray said. “She made it sound like we're a bunch of perverted guys.”
“Stop acting like one then,” Many said.
Before Charmaine could interfere, they hear loud knocks outside the door. It seems to be coming from Kevin and Ray's apartment. They exchange a look before Kevin and Ray move towards the front door. Charmaine and Mandy follow.
“Raymond Cho!” A girl’s voice called out. “Where in the world are you?”
Ray walks faster and grabs the door handle from Kevin, twisting it open. “Jess!”
As the door opens wider, the other three could see Ray running to a girl in a white shirt and black sports pants. She had her hair tied in a pony-tail. She’s also holding a tan folder in her hand.
“Where have you been?” Jess asked. “I told you that I'm coming over this morning.”
“Sorry, hon,” Ray said. “I was over at the neighbors. Kevin couldn't wait to see his girlfriend since he woke up this morning. So I had to go with him.”
Jess, her anguish expression softens a little, has on a curious expression. “Oh? Kevin has a gf?” She turns to look at Kevin.
Ray grabs Jess' left hand with his right. “Come on. I want to introduce you to them.”
Charmaine and Mandy step out into the hallway, meeting Ray and Jess halfway.
“This is Charmaine …” Ray said, pointing to her. “…and…” He stops and drawls out his voice again. “…this is Kevin's girlfriend, Mandy.”
Mandy shakes Jess' hand. “I'm not his girlfriend.” She gives Kevin an evil look.
“And this is my girlfriend, Jessica,” Ray finished, ignoring Mandy’s clarifications.
Jessica smiles. “Nice to meet you two. These guys haven't had neighbors for a long time now. There's Wallace, but he rarely socialize.”
Charmaine looks at her watch. “I'm sorry to cut this short. But we have to go to work now.” She turns back to her apartment to lock the door.
Kevin moves out of Charmaine's way at that time. “Are you girls sure you don't want to catch a ride with us?”
Charmaine turns to face him again. “It's okay. We can ride the Taxi.”
“It's expensive,” Ray remarked. “Your company is on our way anyway.”
“It's okay,” Mandy said. “My supervisor is rich! She can afford it!”
Ray is a bit surprised at Mandy's sudden friendliness towards him. “Well, if you're sure then okay. But last chance! Want to consider again?”
Before Charmaine or Mandy could reply, Wallace's apartment door opens. Alice comes out first then Wallace – after he locks his door.
“Don't tell me you guys are starting a party already,” Alice said with a grin.
Wallace just smiles at them.
Mandy smiles at a cheerful Alice. “No, we're just getting ready to leave for work.”
“All right. Let's go!”
So the group begins to walk towards the elevators. When they arrive, they take the stairs instead. Ray and Jessica lead the way while Charmaine, Mandy, and Kevin are in the middle. Wallace and Alice round up the end.
Yesterday's incident comes back to haunt the five that were in the elevator a bit. However, all is forgotten when Alice speaks up.
“Ge, I don't want to go to class that early,” Alice whined. “Can you take me somewhere else instead? I'll catch the Taxi to school later.”
“It's too expensive and dangerous for you to go in the Taxi alone,” Wallace argued.
“Ge, I'm 22. I know how to take care of myself.”
“I can't take the risk. You'll be lost again like last time.”
“I'm not anymore. I found your place by myself, right?”
“You're just lucky.”
“But ge!”
“I'm thinking for the best.”
When they're all down in the lobby and are walking out of the building, they separate into three groups. Charmaine and Mandy try to look out for a Taxi while the others are fishing out their keys.
Wallace turns to Charmaine and Mandy while opening his door. “You girls can ride with us. I'm on my way to Kwok Enterprise for some business matters anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Charmaine asked.
Wallace smiles. “Of course! We're neighbors! You said so yourself.”
Charmaine turns to Mandy – who nods. “Okay then. Thanks!”
Ray turns to them. “Hey! No fair! How come we insist before but you guys didn't want to come. But now he only said a few words and you guys go.”
“He's going to our company, you guys have to stop and then go on your way,” Mandy explained, her voice normal and not sarcastic like before. “It takes too much effort. We don't want to make you late.”
Ray gets in his car and starts the engine before he would argue with Mandy some more. However, when he tries to start it up, it's not working at all. “That's weird! I swore I checked it yesterday when I parked.”
“Want me to give you guys a lift too?” Wallace asked.
Ray gets out and locks his car again. “I can go with Jess. It's okay.”
Jessica looks at her watch at that time. “Sorry, hon. I can't take you, I have a meeting in 15 minutes.”
“Umm....then I'll go with you, Wallace,” Ray said. Then he turns to look for Kevin. “Kevin?”
“That's fine,” Kevin agreed.
Ray grins. “That means someone will have to sit on my lap!”
Jessica pokes Ray in the rib.
“Ouch! I was just kidding, honey.”
“Wallace, I can take your sister with me if you trust me. I have a meeting in 15 minutes at this one restaurant. She can wait at a nearby table for me in half an hour if she's not in a rush. Then I can take her to class.”
“Ummm...” Wallace muttered, molding the idea over in his head.
“That'll be great!” Alice exclaimed with a wide grin on her face. “I don't have class until 10, which is my last exam. I can squeeze in a little more of studying.”
“So, it's all settle now,” Ray concluded. “Let's go!”
Jessica and Alice walk to Jessica's car together after they said goodbye.
“Take care, Alice!” Wallace yelled after his sister.
“Ge, I know!” Alice hollered back.
Wallace gets in the driver seat while Mandy gets in on the passenger side. Kevin, Charmaine, and Ray get in the back with Ray behind Mandy, Kevin in the middle, and Charmaine behind Wallace.
Kevin gives Wallace directions to Mr. Cho’s company before Wallace pulls out.
“This must be fate!” Ray exclaimed dramatically. “You girls don’t want to ride with us, but now you have to anyway!”
Mandy gives Ray evil eye in the rearview mirror. “What are you talking about? We didn’t say we don’t want to ride with you. We just don’t want to hold you back.”
“Really? Or you’re trying to avoid rumors?”
“How can I avoid it when you’re around?”
Ray leans to the front a bit. “Oooh….Touché.”
Mandy whacks him back with her elbow. “Don’t start with me when it’s early in the morning.”
“Come on, girl! It’s morning! Don’t bring out the attitude!”
Mandy ignores him.
Ray turns to Kevin. “She’s quite a girl. You’re going to have a hard time to woo her.”
Kevin clears his throat and looks straight front, pretending to look at the scenery.
Charmaine just smiles at them.
“I’ll drop you guys off first then the rest of us will go to Kwok Enterprise,” Wallace announced.
“I want to go to Kwok Enterprise too!” Ray exclaimed out.
“Stop acting like you’re five years old!” Many jumped in.
“Stop acting like my mother!”
“Children, children!” Kevin interfered.
Ray and Mandy both shoot Kevin a dagger look.
Mandy realizes that she’s being rude. “Sorry, Wallace. Didn’t mean to be like this in your car.”
Wallace smiles. “No problem. I have a sister, you know.”
They sit in silence for the rest of the journey. Kevin keeps stealing glances at Mandy. That wasn’t lost on Charmaine or Ray.
Ray couldn’t stand it anymore with the deafening silence, he finally speaks up. “You guys want to get together this weekend and do a picnic or something?”
“Where?” Wallace asked.
“Not sure. What do you guys suggest? Or maybe we can all go to the bars and get the girls drunk and tell us all their secrets.”
Wallace flashes on his mischievous expression out of a sudden. “You don’t need to go to a bar to get a girl drunk.”
“Impressive, man. Speaking from true experience?”
“Indirect experience.”
Mandy steals a glance at Wallace.
“Turn right here, Wallace,” Kevin said quickly. “I just remember that Mr. Cho will be meeting us at the restaurant down the block. He doesn’t want his employees to know that he’s hiring us.”
“That’s weird,” Mandy commented.
“He’s weird,” Ray said. “He always hires us but makes it seems like he’s doing some illegal activities.”
“Then why are you guys still working for him?” Charmaine asked.
“The money!”
“No, I’m serious.”
“I’m serious too!”
“Can you shut up and let Kevin talk?” Mandy demanded.
“She’s your girl, all right,” Ray whispered to Kevin.
“I heard that!”
“You’re just nosy!”
“You’re starting to act like a couple now,” Wallace teased.
“Wallace, not you too!” Mandy yelled out. “I’m going to barf up my breakfast.”
“I already have a great girlfriend,” Ray jumped in. “And you’re going to be Kevin’s girlfriend. I can’t steal you from him.”
Wallace and Charmaine smile at that while Kevin looks around, pretending he’s not hearing this. But they’re all staying silent because they want to hear how Mandy would react. Mandy blushes a little and looks out the window before saying anything. The three in the back couldn’t really see her expression, but Wallace could see it clearly. He smiles secretly to himself.
“Knock it off with your jokes,” Mandy warned. “It’s not funny.”
“So, what do you guys think of the incident last night?” Ray asked, changing subject all of a sudden.
“Which one?” Kevin asked back.
“Both. Do you think they’re linked to one another?”
“You’ve been watching too many cop series, man,” Mandy said.
“At least I have a girlfriend!”
“What does that has to do with anything?” Kevin asked.
“Yea,” Mandy agreed. “What if you brain-washed her?”
Ray looks from Mandy to Kevin. “So now you two are teaming up on me?”
“You were talking nonsense.”
“Since when doesn’t he talk nonsense?” Kevin asked rhetorically.
“Hey! Hey!” Ray yelled out, irritated. “That’s selling out on your friend.”
“Lesson #1 in Friendship 101,” Wallace chanted. “When a gentleman finds a lady worthy of his courtship, he will abandon his friends in order to win her over.”
“You’re really impressive, man. I should have known you ages ago. Stupid neighbors downstairs! Making it sound like you’re a….murderer.”
Kevin poked Ray in the side before he could say “murderer” but he still managed to spit it out in the end.
“You guys live on the same floor, you know,” Mandy reminded Ray. “You don’t have to listen to those lousy people.”
“Mandy means you don’t have to listen to rumors,” Charmaine jumped in to explain since she saw Kevin winced.
“Okay,” Ray said. “From now on, if anyone moves in, I’ll just go over and welcome them like crazy, okay?”
“You might chase them away if you’re too crazy.”
“Are you trying to attack me here? What did I ever do to you anyway?”
Before Mandy could reply, Charmaine interferes. “Let’s not argue anymore. It’s still early.”
Wallace stops the car and parks into one of the temporary spots in the street since it’s getting crowded around the restaurant area.
Charmaine gets out so Kevin could get out, but Ray isn’t budging at all.
Kevin turns around to look at Ray. “Coming, Ray?”
Ray hands the folder in his hand to Kevin. “You go ahead. I’ll go with Mandy to Kwok Enterprise and finish this business.”
“Ray, it’s not funny! Don’t hold Wallace here. It’s his precious time.”
Mandy turns around to face Ray. “I’m sorry, okay? Are you happy now? Go! Before Wallace kicks you out.”
Ray gets out of the car on his side. “No one apologize like you girl.” Then he turns to Wallace while Charmaine gets back into the car. “I’m sorry man. This girl is just giving me a hard time when I’m trying to be friendly.”
Wallace smiles. “No problem at all.” He pulls out after Kevin and Ray walk towards the restaurant. He glances over to Mandy when he merges in safely with rest of the traffic. “Are you okay?”
Mandy nods. “Yea.”
Charmaine puts a hand on Mandy’s shoulder. “What’s wrong? Your moods change so much today. First you were just being playful with Kevin and Ray. Then you changed into a nicer attitude when we met Jessica. Now, you seemed irritated.”
Mandy looks out the window. “I’ll tell you later. Sorry, Wallace. Maybe I’ll tell you later too.”
“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” Wallace reassured her, putting on a smile. “We just met yesterday, remember?”
They arrive at Kwok Enterprise 15 minutes later. Charmaine and Mandy exchange goodbyes with Wallace and head towards their department on the second floor while Wallace heads towards the main hall.
When they’re alone, Charmaine turns to Mandy. “You want to tell me what happened now or after work?”
Mandy hesitates a little. “I think I found my brother.”
“Your brother?” Charmaine asked, shocked. “What brother?”
“Half brother actually,” Mandy clarified. “I didn’t tell you yet, but my mom left my dad because she found out she’d been tricked. He already has a wife somewhere else. One day, the other Mrs. Cho appeared at the door and demanded an explanation. She said my mom stole her husband and said other stuff too. My mom didn’t know anything until then. She left him after that from shame and humiliation.”
Charmaine stays silent for a moment. “Ray’s your brother?”
“I think so.”
“How could you be so sure? How old were you when your mom left your dad? Have you seen Ray before?”
“Mrs. Cho brought him that one time. He was nine, I was seven. There are resemblances. I still remember that his name is Ray.”
“How could you be so sure? There are tons of Raymond Cho around.”
“There are 3 Raymond Cho in HK. But only one has that scar on his neck, Charm.”
“What scar?”
“If you look closely on his left neck, there’s a cut line there. It’s very light now. But it’s there.”
Charmaine looks confused. “What happened?”
“I did it.”
“You did it?!?!”
“I was little and didn’t know anything, except protecting my mom. She was the only person that cared for me. Dad was good too, but he always left after a few days. He kept saying business matters. Years later, I understand why.”
Charmaine doesn’t know what to say anymore. They walk a couple of steps in silence.
“You know what?” Charmaine spoke up again. “We should find out more about Ray. I meant what if it’s really a coincidence? You don’t want to be wrong, do you?”
Mandy ponders a moment before answering. “I guess not.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you. Ray lives next door to us. We can ask Kevin about him if you don’t want to do it directly.”
Mandy looks straight ahead. “Okay.”
“Cheer up! We have to find out if he’s really your brother first. Then we can decide.”
Mandy forces a smile on her face. “Thanks Charm.”
Charmaine puts a hand on Mandy’s shoulder. “We’re friends, remember?”
© Sunday, April 8th, 2007
Re-posted: Friday, October 9th, 2009